Your first visit

The first consultation will focus on analysing the problem you have with your knee, understanding how it is affecting you, and trying to understand what may have caused the problem to develop. This will involve taking a careful history of the problem, and a thorough examination of the knee will be performed. Sometimes, problems arising from nearby joints such as the hip or spine can also cause knee pain, and these may also be examined to determine this.

Please forward or bring with you any referral letters that you may have from your GP or physiotherapist.

If you have had any previous interventions or opinions regarding your knee, it is often helpful if these details could also be brought along to your appointment.

If you have had any recent (last 2 years) imaging of the involved knee, such as an x-ray, CT scan or MRI scan, then please bring the disc with you if you have them, together with any reports that you may have.

If the x-rays are old or if you have not had a ‘weight bearing’ x-ray (even if you have already had an MRI scan) then this will need to be taken or repeated when you come for your appointment.

In order for an adequate examination of the knee to be performed, it will be necessary for the leg to be exposed up to the mid-thigh. It is therefore recommended that you wear appropriate clothing to faciliate this, or bring a pair of shorts with you to change into.